english 102 discussion
Complete The New York Times survey and watch the YouTube videos on the evolution of the English language before answering these questions.
Write a brief (approximately 200-300 words) response to each question. Feel free to include your own personal experiences/ reflections in your answers.
1. Do you believe that there is one “main†or “true†American accent? If so, what would you say that it is? What factors do you think impact your answer?
2. What are some of the stereotypes or stigmas associated with certain accents? What do you think when you hear a Boston or New York accent vs. a southern accent? What assumptions might you have about these people?
3. What do you think are the connections between certain accents and socio-economic class? Can you think of examples where somebody might intentionally work to change their accent? What sort of factors might push someone to do this?